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Tips for Travelling to Cambodia
Are there travel dos and don'ts and myths you should know before travelling to Cambodia?
Cambodia is a country that is famous for its numerous tourist spots. The country has been boosting its tourism industry for decades now in which they offer their beautiful islands and beaches, vibrant and colourful cultural heritage, and spectacular temples.
There are also small villages and towns which you can discover and enjoy its big cities with non-stop events and activities. Cambodia is full of surprises and astonishing sights for you to experience. But before you start, follow these tips for travelling to Cambodia.
Etiquettes to Observe When Eating in Cambodia
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Being a traveller, you should be aware of the specific values that the locals follow. One of the primary traditions that people follow is table manners. Cambodians give importance to their rich culture, and they have their set of etiquettes to observe. Here are the dos and don’ts when you are eating in Cambodia.
Do Clean Your Cutlery
If the dish is ready, Cambodians see to it that everything is clean before you start eating. They serve the cutlery soaked in a cup of hot water to sanitise them of germs. Together with the plates and glass, you need to wipe them clean with tissue paper.
Do Start After the Elders
Cambodians let their elders start eating first before they start eating. They do this to give respect to their elders.
Do Use Your Right Hand for the Spoon
Cambodian meals usually come with rice. And every time they are setting the table for a meal, every plate has its rice in it. You should use your right hand for pushing food onto your spoon, and your left hand with a fork. If you are going to eat noodles, remember to only use a fork for eating it.
Do Use Your Right Hand for Eating
You should remember to use your right hand for eating all the time when you are in Cambodia. The reason is that the locals consider the left hand as unclean.
Do Tuck Your Legs
You should know that when sitting on the floor, the elders are the only ones who can cross their legs, and the younger people should tuck their legs on their sides, with their feet behind them. But when the elders are not present, you and your peers can cross your legs.
Do Help in Cleaning
After meals, you should help clean the table and wash the dishes even if the host family starts to do it first.
Don’t Cross Your Hands
Don't cross your hands if you are at the table.
Don’t Place Your Elbows on the Table
Whatever it takes, do not put your elbows on the table because it is a sign of disrespect.
Don’t Leave Any Leftovers
You may keep on filling your bowl or plate with food and eat until you are full. Be sure that you know your capacity to eat and do not leave anything inside your container after you ate. Cambodians do not waste their food, and they would eat any untouched leftovers for their next meal, or give it to their animals instead.
Don’t Stick Your Chopsticks
If you are using chopsticks for eating, remember not to stick it vertically into your rice bowl. Cambodians believe that this gesture is bad luck as it reminds them of the incense sticks used for their dead.
What to Know When Drinking with a Cambodian
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Cambodia is a country where it is fun to drink. The government even encourages everyone in the country to drink, except, of course, for some limitations. Here are some tips for travelling to Cambodia on what to know when drinking with a Cambodian.
Do Know Cambodia’s Cheap Alcohols
Cambodia has a remarkably low cost on alcoholic beverages. The country imposes low taxes and the lack of implementing the minimum age laws, generating a low bar for alcohol drinkers, especially when visiting Phnom Penh.
Do Know That the Government is Okay with Drinking
The Cambodian government wants everyone to keep drinking beer, to increase their taxes, which is the government's strategy to pay the salaries of doctors, teachers, and other civil servants such as in the military.
Do Say “Jul Muoy!”
Drinking in Cambodia is fun, and “Cheers!” is “Jul Muoy!” in Khmer.
Don’t Drink Water in Cambodia
Tap water in Cambodia is not safe for drinking, which is one of the reasons why the locals prefer drinking beer, and they believe that it is an effective way of cooling the body that makes tourists happy and glad.
Don’t Worry About Your Age
Unfortunately, Cambodia has no minimum legal age for drinking alcoholic beverages. The only time that the country gets strict with drinking alcohol is during their election season. They are imposing an alcohol ban on the day itself of the election.
Practices to Observe When Visiting a Cambodian Home
If you are on vacation in Cambodia and some of your Cambodian friends invited you to visit their home, you should be aware of some traditions that the locals strictly follow.
Do Pass With Your Right Hand
To pass or receive items, you should use your right hand at all times. They consider the left hand as taboo. You can also use both of your hands in passing or receiving.
Do Remember Where to Point Your Feet
You should know where your feet are pointing. Ideally, you should point your feet away from another person when seated. Instead, your feet should not rest on pillows or tables.
Do Remove Your Footwear Before You Enter
Most countries in Southeast Asia follow this type of tradition. Removing your footwear before entering someone’s house is a sign of respect and appreciation to their home.
Do Bring Some Presents
If your Cambodian friend invited you to go to their home, be sure to bring some lovely presents to show gratitude for the family. You may bring any kind of sweets, pastries, fruits, or flowers.
Do Accept the Offers
It is common for Cambodians to be hospitable and offer their best dishes and for you to sit comfortably. They will also give you drinks to choose from such as water, juice, or tea. You should accept these offers as a sign of appreciation.
Do Mind How You Sit
Cambodians usually sit on the floor, and women should be in front of men while tucking their legs to the side behind them. The men can cross their legs and be mindful that stretching their legs and feet in front of others is offensive for the locals.
Don’t Touch Someone’s Head
You should not touch someone’s head when you are in Cambodia. The locals consider it taboo and insensitive if you touch someone’s top of the head.
Don’t Place Your Hand on an Elder’s Shoulder
If you are posing for a photograph with your Cambodian friends, you should remember that Cambodians consider it rude for you to place your hands around an elder’s shoulder.
Don’t Walk Over Another Person
Cambodians usually sit on the floor when they are eating, or just resting. You should always be mindful to never walk over a person that is lying or sitting down.
Now that we've covered at the dos and don'ts, let us know discuss the common myths about this beautiful country.
Communicating With the Cambodians Can be Difficult
The Truth: Cambodians communicate with other people with an indirect approach. They ask questions in an unclear manner, most especially if the topic is unfavourable. You should consider these tips for travelling to Cambodia because the locals usually keep away from giving turndowns, and they would typically nod and smile to keep the conversation responsive. They also answer a negative topic using an indirect manner, and they say “same, same but different.”
- The word ‘yes’ can have different meanings in Cambodia. It could mean that the person understands a statement, or a person agrees to the conversation. To know how Cambodians use the word ‘yes,’ you should observe their body language and facial expression.
- Compliments and praises have a comment of disapproval or polite disagreement.
- With regards to humour, Cambodians are very cheerful, and they enjoy laughing. They often tell jokes, but sarcastic humour is not typical to them.
- It is acceptable in Cambodia to have physical contact with the same gender. It is okay to hold hands and hugging of the same sex, but a public display of affection for couples like kissing is not acceptable to society.
- You should also be aware of personal space that Cambodians follow, where they observe an arm’s length as the distance between two conversing people.
Cambodia Still Has Landmines
By (WT-en) Jpatokal at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22935301
The Truth: The world knows that Cambodia experienced decades of war, leaving an approximate four to six million UXOs (unexploded ordnance) and landmines. But the country was responsible enough to trace and retrieve millions of these deadly devices, and they target the country to be landmine-free by the year 2025.
Summer is the Best Season is the Best to Visit
The Truth: One of the essential tips for travelling to Cambodia is to know when to go there. Most travellers do not want to pursue their trip during the rainy season. Cambodia is known as a tropical country where storms visit the country frequently. Torrential downpours last about one hour before the sun appears again. The misconception is that Cambodia is at its magnificence in green and bloom. The country is very much alive during the rainy season, which is the best season to visit.
You are all set to travel to Cambodia once you understand and are ready to experience the rich culture of the country. These tips for travelling to Cambodia will surely give you a great time without any trouble.
